A
ll about
Gibraltar
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Vol. 10 Issue 235 www.theolivepress.es
It’s still the place to buy British... but these days Gibraltar offers the best high-street brands alongside smaller family-run businesses, writes Tom Powell
T
worth the trip to ‘Britain in the Sun’ during the late 20th century, when Morrisons supermarket virtually achieved tourist attraction status. In fact, even the biggest names from the glory days of the Costa del Crime raved about the convenience of being able to nip over the border for a pork pie and a tin of Ovaltine. Nowadays, you can buy British all along the Costa
Something for everyone
WITH its mix of high-street brands and independent, family-run stores, Gibraltar has something for everyone. Shops like Stagnetto’s have one of the best selections of wines, spirits and cigars you will find anywhere in the world. They know the owners of the vineyards and distilleries personally and customers come to visit from all over the world. Stuck for ideas on what present to buy? Look no further than All Wrapped Up, which is just after Marks & Spencer going towards the law courts. The Jury’s is unsurprisingly a favourite hang out for barristers and their clients, but if there is no space try the
new Bistro 292 opposite. Take time to walk up some of the lanes and side streets off Main Street to explore. It’s a different world up there. You never know what you might find. Engineers Lane, Bell Lane or Irish Town are all less crowded and are the preferred routes taken by locals who want to get from one end of town to the other in a hurry. After a morning wandering down Main Street why not drop into one of the restaurants for some coffee or a light lunch. In Irish Town, Corks and Sacarello’s, which has brewed coffee for 150 years, are local institutions, while Cafe Solo and Lord Nelson in Casemates Square take some beating.
March 16th - March 29th 2016
Where have all the queues gone?
More than Marmite at Morrisons
HERE was a time when British expats in Spain merely relied on the Rock for their home comforts. Gibraltar was a Godsend where foreigners could get their fix of British classics to chase away any homesick blues. Yorkshire tea bags, cheddar cheese, Marmite and Heinz baked beans were just some of the favourites
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THE go-slow and restrictive checks by Spanish Customs officials have been greatly reduced over the last year. The stop and start horror stories of three summers ago have all but dissipated and getting in and out is much easier these days. The frontier has been upgraded, new lanes have been added and, generally, with the exception of rush hour - going in between 8am to 10am and coming out after 4pm - you can get across the border in around 10 minutes. If you are still concerned, you can also keep an eye on the exit into Spain by checking the online webfeed: www.frontierqueue.gi and you can also check what the estimated queuing times are at @gibraltarborder or #gibfrontier
del Sol while Gibraltar has developed into an altogether more sophisticated shopping experience. The downtown area has undergone a spectacular regeneration, complete with floral hanging baskets and smart black and gold signposts. In convivial Casemates Square, chilled cafes set up inside the battlement walls spill out onto an expansive, sunlit plaza while bustling Main Street boasts shops to rival any traditional British high street, with Mediterranean sunshine thrown in. Just don’t walk more than three abreast along this narrow, cobbled thoroughfare, especially when there’s a cruise ship - or three - in port! Here you will find big name brands such as Marks & Spencer, BHS and The Early Learning Centre, as well as Next, Pandora, Boux Avenue, Holland and Barrett, Dorothy Perkins and F&F. But they are interspersed with locally-owned and family-run emporiums selling everything from dutyfree perfumes and cameras to cuddly toy monkeys. Clone town it is not. The recent opening of high-end jewellery store Cadenza is a clear indicator of where Gibraltar is headed (Oxford Street-sur-Med), with no less than Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, cutting the ceremonial red tape. Of course, a fully-stocked Morrison’s still has some specific treats the Costa del Sol cannot keep up with, while Eroski has recently started offering an extended range of Waitrose products. The obvious draw for shoppers is Gibraltar’s VAT-free status and we’re not just talking about tobacco and alcohol. You can also save 21% on luxury items like perfume and designer sunglasses. And with zero import duty on electronic goods, computer software, DVDs and CDs and reduced duty for watches, jewelContinues on Page 19
TIMELESS: Main street has always been an important commercial hive and (below) is crammed full of historic, attractive buildings